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Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field

Tech actually began playing football on the field in 1905, and students would construct their own grandstands to observe

Tech used Astroturf for 25 years until it reverted to natural grass in 1995

Football had been played at the site since 1905, but Grant Field earned its name in 1913 when Hugh Inman Grant donated $15,000 to build permanent grandstands. Though the original stadium looks nothing like the current complex, over time, pieces of the stadium were added. The East and South stands were built in 1924 and 1925, respectively. In 1947, the West stands were constructed, followed by the all-steel North stands in 1958, completing the perimeter of the field. In 1962, a second deck was added to the East stands, increasing capacity to 53,300. In 1988, a major change occurred: the south stands were demolished to make way for the familiar William C. Wardlaw Center that now resides at the south end of the stadium as an athletic and academic administrative building. Finally, in 1992, the Bill Moore Student Success Center was constructed behind the West stands, completing the look as it is today.

Philanthropy and Honorary - Originally, Grant Field was named for Hugh Inman Grant for his donation of $15,000 to build the first concrete stands in 1913. The full stadium was named in honor of Bobby Dodd in 1988 after the GT Board of Trustees voted to commemorate the legendary football coach.

Bobby Dodd started his football career as the quarterback for the University of Tennessee from 1928-1930; during his tenure he led the Vols to a 27-1-2 record, known as for his versatility on the field. After that, he became an assistant coach at Georgia Tech under Bill Alexander in 1930. He took over the team for Alexander in 1945, instituting a coaching philosophy that centered around player treatment and well-executed plays. He was known not only for being a great coach, but a lucky one.